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68
REPORT
on the
SANITARY CONDITION OF ST. MARY, ISLINGTON,
FOR OCTOBER, 1865.
No. C II.
Our mortality during the four weeks of October has been excessive.
The registered deaths amounted to 290—a number which is 33 above
the corrected mean of nine years. When, however, the Mortuary
Table is examined more closely, it becomes apparent that the excess is
not occasioned by any increase of acute sickness in our population, but
by the fact that an unusual number of persons, suffering from such
chronic disorders as consumption, diseases of the liver, kidneys, &c.,
have died during the month, while a remarkably large number of
deaths have taken place amongst infants prematurely born or constitutionally
weak. Our Sickness Table also demonstrates, that
notwithstanding the high mortality, the general health of the district,
as measured by the cases of sickness, has been unusually good.
There have been 14 deaths from diarrhoea, and two reputed deaths
from cholera—one of an infant, and one of an old woman who had
been ill for many months, and at last succumbed with choleraic
symptoms. There is nothing unusual in this. It is observable that,
although the deaths from diarrhoea were less than happened in September,
they have been more numerous than is customary with us
during October. Still diarrhoea prevailed to an equal extent in
October, 1862. The cases recorded by the Parochial Officers, &c.,
have been lessening week by week, as is usual at this season of the
year. At the same time, as something more than the mere shadow of
the approaching epidemic has fallen upon one of our seaports, and as
isolated outbreaks of undoubted cholera have occurred elsewhere, it
behoves the sanitary authorities to remain on the alert.
I append two Special Tables, which for the present I shall continue,
as giving important information under the present circumstances.